<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Recovery by silverstar2419</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24518719">Recovery</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverstar2419/pseuds/silverstar2419'>silverstar2419</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Apollo (Percy Jackson) Needs a Hug, Betrayal, Canon Divergence - Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Champion - Freeform, Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Fatal Flaws, Gay, Godly Blessings, Healing, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Multi, Music, My First AO3 Post, Near Death, Not Canon Compliant - The Trials of Apollo, Parent Death, Parent Tony Stark, Past Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson Sings, Percy Jackson is a Good Bro, Poseidon (Percy Jackson) is a Good Parent, Post-The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus), Protective Olympians, Protectiveness, Sally Jackson Dies, Sexuality Crisis, Single Parents, Slow Burn, Sort Of, The Avengers Are Good Bros, The Gods Are Cool, Thor went for the head the first time, Trust Issues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:13:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24518719</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverstar2419/pseuds/silverstar2419</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After two power-thirsty twins of Nike arrive at camp not long after the Second Giant War, Percy's life has been going downhill. They claimed all his kills, created lies, and blamed thievery on him. However, when the camp that he was so loyal to, rejected him, his fatal flaw began killing him. </p><p>Understand that the fatal flaw loyalty doesn't just mean that he would give his life for anyone he cared about, but also that what he grants must be reciprocated. If not, there would be dire consequences.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Original Male Character(s), Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson (Past), Apollo/Percy Jackson, Avengers Team &amp; Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Clint Barton &amp; Percy Jackson &amp; Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Clint Barton/Pietro Maximoff, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Michelle Jones &amp; Ned Leeds &amp; Peter Parker, Percy Jackson &amp; James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Percy Jackson &amp; Loki (Marvel), Percy Jackson &amp; Peter Parker &amp; Shuri, Percy Jackson &amp; Pietro Maximoff, Percy Jackson &amp; Sam Wilson (Marvel), Percy Jackson &amp; Stephen Strange, Percy Jackson &amp; Steve Rogers, Percy Jackson &amp; The Olympians, Percy Jackson &amp; Thor (Marvel), Percy Jackson &amp; Tony Stark, Percy Jackson &amp; Vision (Marvel), Percy Jackson &amp; Wanda Maximoff, Peter Parker/Wade Wilson, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>274</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I Just Might Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Percy's P.O.V.: </strong>
</p><p>It hurt to move. Blue marks covered my body, looking like veins. I laid on my bed as flashes of the past few months flew through my mind.</p><p>My predicament started when these twins of Nike came to camp. They were the, now, famous Son and Daughter of Nike, adored by Greek and Roman campers alike. Their names are Emma and Alex Young, and they are inseparable. From day one, they decided they needed to be on top.</p><p>They started small, claiming all my kills, saying that I was stealing things. Once they got half the younger campers supporting them, they moved up. They began cutting and hurting themselves, saying that I was refusing to teach them and that I was the source of their wounds. All but my friends were on their side by then, so they went further. They stole and destroyed my friends' personal items, and blamed even more things on me. Until yesterday, the only reason I got out of bed was because of Annabeth. What happened yesterday? I saw Annabeth kissing the boy.</p><p>"Why?" I had asked Annabeth.</p><p>"Why do you think, Percy? You disgust me. The way you treat people is horrific, no wonder everyone left you. You do not deserve to be loved or to even exist. You deserve to die, and you would be doing everyone a favor if you did."</p><p>After she told me that, I ran to my cabin, grateful, for once, that I didn't share it with anyone.</p><p>These blue marks didn't appear overnight, they've been gradually spreading for a month now. If you're wondering what they are, they're signs. Signs that my fatal flaw is killing me. You see, my fatal flaw doesn't just mean that I would die for someone I cared about, but also that what I give must be returned. It's a two-way deal, my flaw. Loyalty for loyalty and I've been paying, but they haven't.</p><p>I'm tired. Maybe I'll just go to sleep.</p><p>
  <strong>~On Olympus~ </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Third Person P.O.V.: </strong>
</p><p>"Percy Jackson's life force is fading," Hades informed the council as soon as he got the message from Thanatos.</p><p>This caused a ton of commotion. Shouts rang through the throne room, but the loudest one was Poseidon's heartbroken voice.</p><p>"We have to save him after everything he's done for us."</p><p>Zeus made a quick decision, "Hermes, go get the boy."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>How'd you like it? Sorry for the short chapter, I promise not all chapter will be this short. 'Til next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Welp, I'm Still Breathing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The gods do what they can, the twins and the camp get told off.</p><p>TW: Mention of depression and self-deprecating thoughts at the end</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Third Person P.O.V.:</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as Hermes got back with Percy in his arms, Apollo began barking orders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Put him down here." he signaled the bed he had put in the middle of the throne room. He hovered his hand over the Son of Poseidon's body before getting a diagnosis. "It's his fatal flaw!" Confusion clouded through the room. " For some reason, it's killing him," He explained. Apollo racked his brain for the cure, but all that came up was a distant memory of a book.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I need a book. I think it was called, uh, 'Loyalty: The Fatal Flaw' or something like that." Athena flashed away in search of the book while Apollo kept the boy stable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Athena came back with the book moments later and began reading it. "Right here!" She pointed to a sentence in the book, "'To save a betrayed hero with this flaw, a sign of loyalty from the one that hated them the most, past or present, will help significantly.'"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few long moments and a rock-paper-scissors match, they decided that Zeus would give Percy his godly blessing. They were about to do it when Percy began seizing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh, no, no, no," Apollo muttered. He turned the hero onto his side and focused on stopping the seizing. Finally, when he got it under control, Apollo yelled, "Now, Dad!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I, Zeus, King of Gods, God of Sky, give Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon, my godly blessing. May he have all powers my children have, to use in justice." A glowing orb floated to Percy's body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apollo breathed a sigh of relief, "His vitals are increasing!" Cheers rang through the room as they all let go of the breaths they didn't know they were holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Percy's P.O.V.:</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>My vision was blurry as I opened my eyes, distantly, I heard several familiar yet disoriented voices. Roughly 14 blurry figures stood around me. I groaned as I felt the pain still there. Oh, that's right, I was dying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As my vision became more apparent, I began to take note of who was there. I saw all the Olympians, as well as Hestia and Hades. I noticed I was on a bed, and the room I was in was bright, unlike the dark cabin I was previously in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I finally noticed Apollo talking. "Can you hear me, Perce?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I tried to get up, but, of course, all that happened was a jolt of pain. I winced as I laid back down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Easy, Perce," Apollo warned. "We managed to heal you enough for a while, but you need to take it easy."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What happened?" My voice, I noticed, was scratchy and raw.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Your fatal flaw tried to kill-" Athena started.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"My fatal flaw tried to kill me because I need as much loyalty as I give to survive." I looked around the room, "I passed out earlier because I was dying and in pain. What I meant was how did I get here, and what did you do to save me?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As I observed the room, I noticed fourteen thrones, a high ceiling, fourteen gods, and a spacious area. I had regarded this before, but now I took everything else into account. Before I could do anything else, Zeus began explaining.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"When you passed out, Thanatos notified Hades that your life force was fading. We were in the middle of a council meeting, so I sent Hermes to go get you. When you got here, Apollo diagnosed you, and Athena got the book that told us how to help you, which led to me giving you my godly blessing, saving your life."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Uncle Z, how does your ego fit in the building?" I asked. His face turned red while some of the Olympians laughed, and others tried holding it in or chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Where Father was getting to was that the book said a sign of loyalty would heal you enough to start the process, so we decided that Father giving you his blessing was best." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Athena explained that, Dad asked me the million-dollar question, "May I ask what happened, Son?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So I told them what happened. Some went red in embarrassment, while others grew in anger. When I was done, Athena took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I am sorry for the actions of my children; I will see their punishment fit."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why don't we just punish the whole camp," Dad growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whatever you guys do, please don't kill them or punish them too badly," I pleaded. "They were, after all, misled."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I have an idea!" Apollo exclaimed. "Perce, how good are your acting skills?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apollo's plan was actually pretty good. I would pretend to be asleep while the minor gods came in for a meeting about an incredibly well-thought-out punishment for the camps.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We put the plan into motion immediately, and it was going well until I actually fell asleep and had a nightmare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was dark, almost void-like. I heard a voice. It was rough and reeling, and all in all terrifying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You lay in a bed, unable to move while your mom lays on a floor," The voice spoke. I was confused by the words. What did it mean?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?" It laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You didn't honestly think that she didn't have a plan for if she lost?" It taunted. "You should go to your mom's apartment when you wake up. If you can move, that is. Oh, and your gonna want protection when you get there."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I shot up from the bed before screaming in pain. Apollo rushed to me with my dad and a few other gods that I couldn't make out because my vision became blurry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy, calm down! You're going to have a panic attack!" Apollo shouted before prompting me to take deep breaths.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hurts," I moaned before remembering the dream. "I need to go to my apartment," I rushed, but just as I was about to move, Apollo stopped me.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy, You'd blackout from pain before your feet touched the ground. Lay back down while I give you some painkillers."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I did as told, but I turned to look at Dad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Go to my apartment, please. If something happened, look for a baby girl," I told him. He nodded, and I turned my head so he could leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I looked around and saw a lot of gods and goddesses looking at me sorrowfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"As you can see, Perseus is in a terrible condition, and we need to show him as much loyalty as he gives us, and more, to reverse his state." Zeus gave all the minor gods a look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"By punishing our children?" One screeched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Our children dd this to him!" Athena countered. "Besides, it isn't even that bad."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We're cutting off all ties with our children!" The same one cried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> "Raise your hand if you're against this plan!" I shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>About one-fifth of them raised their hands, and most of it was because they disagreed with the time. Some of them wanted it to be longer, while others wanted it shorter. There were a few who thought that their children didn't deserve to be punished, but, either way, they lost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a flash, and Dad appeared with something in his arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Son, I'm so sorry."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I cursed and tried to get up, but Apollo stopped me. I thrashed and cursed and screamed. I could feel the pitiful stares as I ignored Apollo's attempts to calm me down, and I didn't stop until I almost passed out from the pain. I slumped in my bed, and Apollo kept holding me. I buried my head in the nape of his neck and cried for several minutes until I pulled away and asked for my sister with a raspy voice. My dad hesitated and looked at Apollo, who was already moving, for approval. At the slight nod, Dad put Estelle in my arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's her name?" Apollo asked while checking her over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Estelle. She's my baby sister. My mom... She was pregnant during the Giant War, and she gave birth a month after it."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So she's 3 months old, right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah." I watched as he conjured a bassinet right next to my bed. Estelle, who was asleep, was picked up and put in there while my dad went over there too. He muttered something I couldn't hear, and the next thing I knew, she glowed slightly before returning to normal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I gave her my blessing, so she has the same powers as you, for the most part," Dad whispered in my ear. I nodded before looking at Zeus.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I think it's settled. For 1 year, you will cut off all ties from the Greek and Roman camp as well as the Hunters of Artemis for their betrayal, and therefore attempted murder, against me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zeus nodded and continued, "If you make contact with them, you will be punished. Dismissed." All the minor gods left while the Olympians stayed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You should tell the camps and the Hunters, and tell them why. They'll try to make it up to you or me," I told them quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We should also bring back the twins of Nike," Artemis voiced.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We could also set up a video so Perce can watch, and if they don't believe us, we can show them his condition," Hephestus interjected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zeus and I nodded our agreement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Third Person P.O.V.:</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Percy closed his eyes as the gods flashed away. Upon arrival, the gods were greeted and asked why they were there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We are very disappointed in these camps," Zeus began, "and even the Hunters. You tossed a great hero aside like yesterday's trash."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He betrayed us!" Alex Young shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"His fatal flaw is loyalty! It would kill him before he even had the chance! And thanks to you, he didn't get the loyalty he needs from you guys, and now he's lying on a bed in the throne room, unable to move! You are all lucky that he's even alive because we were barely able to save him," Apollo went off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"As punishment," Hades continued with a brief glance at Apollo to see if he pulled a muscle during his rant, "you will all be cut off from us gods. Oh, and Chiron, I'm disappointed. You didn't believe Percy. We will be taking the Young twins, too."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, the fourteen gods flashed away with the twins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they got there, Percy looked straight to the twins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"First of all," Percy raised his middle finger, "fuck you. I almost died very painfully, and I thought that I had deserved it for what happened in the wars. So thanks for being the second main reason for my depression spiral; I look forward to the self-deprecating and intrusive thoughts coming up." All the gods looked concerned about that, but mainly dad and Apollo. I just brushed it off. "Next, turns out my mom and step-dad are dead too, so that makes my baby sister an orphan, all because Gaea had a backup plan for revenge if she ended up losing. Not your fault, but thanks to you, I don't have my usual support system."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We're sorry, Percy," Emma said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course you are! I mean, to most people, fame and power sounds good, and the prospect of stepping on people seems easy enough- at least until you realize you hurt them." Percy gave them a sickly sweet smile, "Have fun being the outcast!" Percy waved at them with his fingers as they were flashed out.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this took so long, I got busy with school and life. I promise the next chapter won't take so long</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Ideas All Around</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Percy has to face something and start moving on.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <span>Percy's P.O.V.:</span>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After the twins left, Estelle started crying, and Artemis was the one to pick her up and calm her down. I smiled at how the gods were acting with Estelle and me around.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite popular belief, they had a soft side that they most likely only showed around each other and those they care about. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I moved my arms and waited for a jolt of pain, but instead, I just felt numb.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy, are you okay?" Athena asked. All the Olympians looked at me.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Y-yeah. It doesn't hurt when I move anymore, not really, at least. It's just numb." I could see the triumph in their eyes, and it made me happy. They definitely had a soft side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I want to give you my blessing, Percy," Athena started. "As both a token of appreciation and an apology."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I want to give to my blessing too," Hera more-or-less shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Me too!" This time, it was Demeter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If you accept, I'd like to make you my champion," Hades offered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I have the same offer as Hades," Hestia said warmly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I was gobsmacked, and I was pretty sure my mouth was hanging open. Something in the back of my head told me to answer, so I began to stammer out my response. "I accept, thank you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Athena went first, then Hera, then Demeter, and Hades and Hestia went last. In the end, I felt more powerful and more hopeful- something I haven't truly felt since I was little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I swung my legs over the edge, and I looked at my outfit. I was in the stereotypical t-shirt and jeans, but as I looked at my arms, I noticed that they weren't covered in the blue marks that they had been just yesterday. A glance at my feet revealed that they, too, were clear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The gods were smiling, and it must have been infectious because I was too. I lifted my arms up in a give-me-a-hug motion, and it was soon a group hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we pulled away, I continued with my original plan and went to my mom's apartment with Apollo and Dad. (Please note that while I didn't count on being alone, I didn't expect Apollo to come.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we got there, I entered my room. See, the thing about my room is that only certain people can open the door thanks to a powerful enchantment Lou Ellen cast. The only people who can open the door are my mom, my dad, and me. Everyone else can enter, just not open the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anyway, the first thing I noticed was a crease in the bed that made me think that mom put Estelle there. The next thing was the open closet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, you may be asking, "Percy, why is that important?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To which I respond with, "That's where I keep all my armor and deadly weapons."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A quick scan revealed an open box- the one I kept all my small weapons in. Further inspection told me that it was my imperial gold kitchen knife- a joke gift I got after the war and before the twins showed up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I decided to pack up my clothes, pictures, weapons, armor, and guitar (yes, I have a guitar, and I know how to play it.). For clothes, I just packed whatever would fit in a duffle bag. Then my weapons went n my quest backpack along with a few pictures, and I just decided to make Dad or Apollo carry my armor. I put my guitar case on my bed and went to Estelle's room. In her diaper bag, I put clothes, diapers, wipes, and a few stuffed animals and blankets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I went to Mom and Paul's room, where I found their bodies mauled along with golden dust. </span>
  <em>
    <span>At least Mom killed it,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. I put drachmas on their chests and proceeded to grab some of the pictures on their dresser. Among those being the family photo we took with Dad a few weeks after Estelle was born, Their wedding photo, and the one of them with Estelle. Finally, I went to the front of the apartment to pack the few family heirlooms that Gabe didn't pawn off, our valuables, and the rest of the most important keepsakes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When I met the gods back in the living room, all I said was that I needed a large box, which they gave me, and went back to my room where I put everything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the bottom of the box, I put my bags. Estelle's went on top, and then the pictures and keepsakes. I swung my guitar case over my shoulder and called Apollo in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's wro- is that a guitar?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," I replied with ease, "Can you take my armor?" I asked as I grabbed the box.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah. Um, can you play?" I nodded, and I could tell he was stunned by the way he picked up my armor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As we walked out of the room and into the living room, I was asked if I was okay. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied with a small smile. This made Apollo frown for some reason.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We flashed back, and the first thing I noticed was the lack of gods and Estelle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I can summon the rest of the council if you know what you want to do," Zeus said immediately.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Where's Estelle?" My mom had once told me that I was a bit overprotective of the ones I love, but after these past few months, I think I can be for a bit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"With Athena and Artemis. Now, do you know what you want to do?" I thought about it and put the box down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I have an idea of what to do." He summoned the rest, and one by one, they came. It was nearly sunset, so I knew I had to make this quick.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Olympus was rebuilt by her," I started, "and I don't think I'll be able to stay here," I remembered the statue she built of us a while ago. "I also can't stay in Manhattan; there are too many places to be reminded of too many people. I wouldn't be able to far, not like Colorado or something, but I can go to Queens."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Queens? You wanna go to Queens?" Apollo asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's only a half-hour drive, and they have good schools." What I didn't tell them was that I also wanted to see the new Avenger, Spider-Man, in real life rather than on screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Dad said quietly. "We'll buy or build you a house, and we'll- or at least I'll- visit whenever I can.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the Olympians began agreeing, and within the week, I had a 3 story house. The first floor had the living room, kitchen, dining room (with a massive table because the gods want to try the Sunday dinner thing), a couple of guest rooms, and a bathroom. The second floor had a smaller living room, a bunch of bedrooms, my room, Estelle's nursery, and some more bathrooms. The top floor was split into 3 rooms; the first room was the armory/ training room, the next room was a gym, and the last one was a full bathroom. I think I stood with my mouth open for a while when I first saw everything.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this isn't as long as the last one, but I hope you enjoy!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Note to Self: Winter Solstice Meetings Are Not Good Breaks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>School, winter break, and panic attacks in front of tons of gods. Sounds fun.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>**TRIGGER WARNING FOR PANIC ATTACKS**<br/>PSA: There are songs, and I linked a YouTube video to them. Here's to hoping it works.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Percy's P.O.V.:</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I, Perseus Achilles Jackson, can almost confidently say that I domesticated the Olympians. Here's how I know: 1, they helped me move in, 2, then proceeded to call rooms and decorate them. We also had Thanksgiving Dinner. Athena took me around town to look at schools, and helped me get the papers, and then took me school shopping. Not to mention, they all take turns watching Estelle while I'm out. Oh, and let's not forget about how much time they spend at the house, I mean c'mon. They only go to Olympus for meetings, godly chores, and when people start asking questions on where they've been. Oh, and they tore down the "Percabeth Statue" and replaced it with one of just me. I don't know how I feel about that one, though. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anyway, when I finally got into school, there were two weeks until winter break, which led to several incidents. The first is the school bully, Flash Thompson, or as I like to call him, Cowardly Asshole. I've been to enough schools to know this process, though. Either Flash would pick up on something like the fact that this isn't the fourth school I've gone to, or he'd think I'd be a decent ally. Yeah, it didn't take long for Flash to notice that I did the new kid thing too well. However, this allowed me to form an alliance with the three kids flash picked on the most; Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, and Wade Wilson. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This leads to the next problem; friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"But, Percy, friends are a good thing!" No, my darling readers. Not when you're still recovering from the ultimate betrayal of the people you thought of as family.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But it didn't matter how much I tried to keep an emotional distance because I still got close to the 3. So, I made plans with them over the break. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I shouldn't forget about my school schedule and the rules that the gods came up with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>The schedule:</b>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Wake up at 6:30 and get ready. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eat breakfast and check on Estelle before school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Head to school at 7, where I am from 7:30- 3:30. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Come home after school or call the god babysitting Estelle and let them know that I'll be late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Homework, or proof that it is done, or that there's none. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Power/weapons Training-1 hour on the weekdays, 3 hours on the weekend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Care for Estelle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bed by 11. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Rules:</b>
</p><ol>
<li><span>Don't fail any classes. Doing so will get me grounded, and all I'll be able to do is homework, training, and caring for Estelle.</span></li>
<li><span>Don't ditch class without good reason (aka a monster, illness, etc.)</span></li>
<li><span>Curfew is 10 pm unless I'm spending the night somewhere.</span></li>
<li><span>I have to come home to tell them that I'm spending the night somewhere, or they'll think I was kidnapped.</span></li>
<li><span>No drugs until I'm 21.</span></li>
<li><span>No alcohol until I'm at least 18.</span></li>
<li><span>Estelle is my priority. The gods are just there to help.</span></li>
<li><span>No teenage pregnancy, I have to be out of high school for that because I'm not a god, and therefore, I have to raise the kid.</span></li>
<li><span>College is an encouraged option.</span></li>
<li><span>Don't play vigilante with my powers; New York has enough superheroes.</span></li>
<li><span>Don't expose the gods.</span></li>
<li><span>Don't be an idiot and put myself in danger.</span></li>
<li><span>Detention in school will get me a violent training session.</span></li>
<li><span>Be careful with who I'm loyal to.</span></li>
</ol><p>
  <span>Honestly, I'm glad that the last one is more of a suggestion than a rule.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The last problem is Mom's and Paul's ashes. I had come to this decision based on how much Mom loved Montauk and how Paul's wedding vows said he'd go anywhere as long as he was with Mom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Winter Break</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It started normal enough, I went to the local Starbucks with Peter, Wade, and Ned, and we gave each other our Christmas gifts- a tradition that the 3 had been doing for years. Then I went home and prepared for the drive to Montauk. I was planning on spreading their ashes there today. I double-checked with Dad that he could watch Estelle for a few more hours, and when I was given the go-ahead, I left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took longer than usual because of the snow, but I got there eventually. I then found the perfect spot by the cabin and began. When I was done, I felt emotionally drained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry," I said, "I'll take care of Estelle, and the gods insist on taking care of me. I'll miss you, though, both of you. I hope you're having a good time in the Underworld." I paused for a second and let a tear fall. "Goodbye, Paul. Goodbye, Mom." I walked to the car with a promise to visit in the summer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I didn't have a training session that day, which I was grateful for, so I fed Estelle, ate, showered, and put Estelle into bed. I double-checked that the monitor was on- and on full volume, and I got ready for bed. I put on a bit of music and let it lull me to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I was playing with Estelle in her room at my mom's apartment. Honestly, this was one of the best moments this week. Ever since those twins showed up, none of the younger campers looked at me the same. I figured I'd come over here for a bit before I had to teach today's sword-fighting lesson.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Percy, I made you lunch!" Mom called.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Coming!" I grabbed Estelle as she started to cry in hunger and walked to the kitchen. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When I walked in, I had to refrain from dropping Estelle. "Mom!" I yelled. I gently put Estelle on the floor and rushed to her. She was bleeding, and there were claw marks all over her chest and face. I noticed that she wasn't breathing. In a panic, I remembered the training that Will held last week. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Quickly, I get into position. I put my right hand over my left one and curled my fingers. I went through the rest of the motions and focused on keeping rhythm to the beat of "Staying Alive." </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I didn't realize Estelle started to cry after 15 minutes, but that was what forced me to pull away. My hands were stained with blood, and I didn't want to pick her up while covered in our mother's blood. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I washed my hands as fast as I could and picked up my baby sister. I felt sick as I made her bottle and fed her while I tried to find Paul. I went into the bedroom, and there he was, in the same state as Mom. Dead. I felt like crying, but now, I was all the Estelle had left.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I called the police and told them what happened. I neglected to mention that I thought it was a mythological creature sent by a Primordial that lost a war against the Greek and Roman gods and their kids. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Somehow, I made it back to camp, and I tried to explain what happened, but no one believed me. They said that it was my fault that they were dead, that I should've saved them. They took Estelle, and they drove a sword through my chest. In my head, I heard the gods laughing at me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I woke with a lurch and hit my head on something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Fucking hell, Perce! You have a hard head!" I looked for the speaker and found Apollo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," I said sheepishly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's okay." It took him a second, but he looked at me with worry in his eyes. "Are you okay? It looked like you were having a nightmare."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's nothing."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy." He gave me his worried/warning voice. Luckily, Estelle chose the right time to start crying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Saved by the bell," I muttered under my breath as I got out of bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We're not done talking about this."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I ignored him and fast-walked to the source of the cries.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I got her to stop crying before I made her bottle. I then picked her up and sat in the rocking chair. I let the chair swing back and forth as I softly sang </span>
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5P2-9YY7qU">
    <em>
      <span>Song of the Sea</span>
    </em>
  </a>
  <span> to lull her to sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Hush now, mo stóirín,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Close your eyes and sleep.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Waltzing the waves,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Diving in the deep.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Stars are shining bright.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The wind is on the rise.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Whispering words </b>
</p><p>
  <b>of long lost lullabies.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the moon is made of gold.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And in the morning sun,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll be sailing.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the ocean meets the sky</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And as the clouds roll by,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll sing the song of the sea.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"I had a dream last night,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And heard the sweetest sound.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I saw a great white light,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And dancers in the round.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Castles in the sand</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Cradles in the trees</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Don't cry, I'll see you by and by</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the moon is made of gold.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And in the morning sun,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll be sailing.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the ocean meets the sky.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And as the clouds roll by,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll sing the song of the sea."</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I hummed the non-lyrical part and waited.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the moon is made of gold.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And in the morning sun,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll be sailing free.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Oh, won't you come with me,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Where the ocean meets the sky.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And as the clouds roll by,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>We'll sing the song of the sea.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Grá go deo."</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Estelle was fast asleep by the time I finished, so I softly put her in her crib and walked out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That was beautiful." That was all I heard when I walked into my room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I turned on my light and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I don't want to talk about my dream."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I respect that, but I know you well enough to know that you're not gonna go back to sleep."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What can I say; I'm not on Hypnos' good side right now." I forced a smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apollo rolled his eyes. "Do you want sedatives, music, or do you just want to talk- not necessarily about the dream. I'm not leaving you alone, though." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I sighed and just got my guitar out. "I'm just gonna sing a song. Join in if you want." I began to play the acoustic version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1adaqZ-UM7c">Jacob Lee's <em>Nevermind.</em></a></span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>(</span><b>Percy, </b><span>Apollo,</span> <b>Both)</b></p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <b>Keep me awake, and perhaps we will find a place where we belong.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>All that we know is left in the world that we haven't explored.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Cause, we don't wanna leave our sheets,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And grow old like we should,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Whilst feeling misunderstood.</b>
  <span>" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I heard Apollo laugh as the song clicked in his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <span>So wake up, and realize how lucky you are</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And breathe another breath and feel us,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walk with you as you walk alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, but never mind."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <b>Never mind</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I met a thief, and it stole every part of me and never left,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And every time it decides to arrive, I let in.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And I know what's it's like when your home,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Is not a place where you can go."</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So wake up, and realize how lucky you are,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And breathe another breath and feel us,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walk with you as you walk alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, but never mind me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I'm just telling you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There's a reason to hold on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leave it to the breeze, and you'll see what I mean."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Hold on.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I'm just telling you,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>There's a reason to hold on.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Leave it to the breeze, and you'll see what I mean.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Hold on.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>So wake up, and realize how lucky you are,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And breathe another breath and feel us,</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Walk with you as you walk alone.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Oh, but never mind."</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>"Never mind."</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(</span>
  <b>No-no-no)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>(No-no-no)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>(No no no, Oh</b>
  <span>)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Just Hold on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But never mind."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I laughed as we finished. "Why was that perfect?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apollo gave me an award-winning smile and said, "Because I'm me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the night was played out similarly; us singing and talking about random things. We offered comments about what the other picked as we took turns with the guitar. We even recreated that Glee moment where they sang </span>
  <em>
    <span>Smooth Criminal </span>
  </em>
  <span>(and I recorded it to post it later on). Around 7:00, Apollo looked at the time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah fuck, I'm late."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I laughed and told him to go before making a show of covering my eyes. I heard him chuckle, and then he left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I put my guitar back, and I put on some Netflix. One perk about having the gods care about you is everything they insist on getting you. For example, I have an account for most of the major streaming sites. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I watched an episode of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Legends of Tomorrow</span>
  </em>
  <span> and vibed with Constantine's character arc. Soon, I heard Estelle wake up again, so I went to grab her before taking off to the kitchen. I fed her while looking for something to snack on. After all, today is the winter solstice, which means that there'll be feasts all day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Snack light, Perce," I heard Hermes say, "brunch starts at 10."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And the meetings at 11," I counter with a smile. "I know the schedule."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Estelle finished the bottle, so I put it on the counter and burped her before grabbing a granola bar. I let Estelle go back to sleep before going back to my room. I unpaused the show, but I heard a knock on my door less than a few minutes later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Come in." I quickly grabbed the remote and paused the show. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Percy!" Aphrodite greeted as she walked in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's up?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We need to pick your outfit for today, formal wear only."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I groaned. "Okay, okay." It took an hour until we found something we both liked; an all-black suit with a sea-green tie. I looked into the mirror in the walk-in closet while Aphrodite ran her fingers through my hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tell me, Perce," She began with a glint in her eyes, "have you ever thought about dyeing your hair."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How would you do it?" I asked apprehensively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Nothing much, just the tips." My hair was still a mop on my head, by the way, though it wasn't too long, and it started getting more effortless to manage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Color?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sea-green." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I paused for a second. "Okay."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I saw her focus on my hair before the tips turned the desired color. I ran my hand through the silky smooth mop on my hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I actually really like this look."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aphrodite chuckled. "Thought so. Oh, it can't get stained, by the way." She held up a small dress that matched my suit, "And neither can this."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dress was one of those poofy baby dresses with a bow, but this one was black with sea-green for the ribbon/bow. We looked at the time and saw that it was 8:30.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"How are you gonna get there?" She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I thought about it for a second. "I'll take the scenic route." She nodded before leaving. I decided to kill the 20 minutes I had before I had to get Estelle ready, so I went on TikTok. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>My problem: I forgot to set a timer. When I felt like enough time had passed, it was 9:15, and not 8:50. I cursed and grabbed Estelle's dress while frantically leaving my room. I rushed through packing the diaper bag, but I made sure to double-check everything, and I brought the car seat to her room. I made sure I was careful while picking up Estelle, though, and putting the dress on her. I put her in the seat and rushed down the stairs. It didn't take long before we were on our way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I decided to take the fastest route, but it was Saturday, and it was the first day of winter break, so the streets were busy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I groaned as I got stuck behind a light 10 minutes away from the Empire State Building. The small clock on the radio told me it was 9:50. I held my breath. Maybe- No. I can't say or think about it, or I'll jinx it. A breath of relief came out as the light turned, and I was able to continue my rush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At 9:59, I finally found parking and was able to run in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"600th floor. I'm in a rush."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No such thing, kid."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hello, I'm Perseus Jackson, and this is my baby sister, Estelle." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guy quickly gave me the key. I got into the elevator and started going up. I smiled at the elevator music for today; it was what Apollo and I sang last night. Or this morning, depending on how you think of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The doors opened, and Olympus, in all of its glory, was revealed to us. I gasped at the decorations. Christmas lights lined the streets, the statues and fountains were decorated with tinsel and lights. There were two decorated trees on each side of the throne room doors. There was also a thin sheet of snow covering everything but the streets. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I walked almost blindly to the hall where we'd be eating, and I almost ran into Apollo because of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh, hey, Apollo!" I said with a smile. When he just stared at me without saying anything, I got a little worried. "'Pollo?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Uh- sorry. You-uh- you look amazing." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I glanced down at my feet. "Thanks."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We stood there for a second. "We're waiting for you." I nodded, and we started walking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Last night was fun," I said after searching for the right thing to, " can't wait to do it again."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course. I get nightmares often, and most of the time, I don't feel like going back to sleep." There was a promise underlying my response. An unspoken token of appreciation and, therefore, promise to go to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whenever you need me, I'll be there." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We walked in comfortable silence for the rest of the way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the day passed with ease. We all ate, then I had to let one of the wood nymphs watch Estelle until after the meetings. For the first two hours, the gods and goddesses went through and reported what was happening in their domains. Oh, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>every</span>
  </em>
  <span> god and goddess. After the check-ins, they went over everything and talked about the minor issues that came up. Around 3, there was an intermission/snack break that I used to go to the bathroom, grab some fruit, and then check on Estelle. Intermission was about half an hour, and when we came back, they talked about the demigods and Hunters.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"There's still a lot of panic, and they even tried to exile the twins," Dionysus reported.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They'll get over it," I voiced. When everyone looked at me, I got confused. "What? It's not like it's the first time I was gone, and they were cut off from the gods. Does the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Olympus Lockdown</span>
  </em>
  <span> ring any bells?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The difference between then and now," One of the minor gods began, "is that they had the prophet. You," He jabbed a finger at me, "took that away from them."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I'm sorry," I said with a generated apologetic tone, "I must've forgotten about the time I </span>
  <em>
    <span>asked </span>
  </em>
  <span>them to try to kill me. There's no way your kids would've listened to liars on their own." My voice became dead serious at the end as I glared at the god. "Stop fucking around. I get it; they were misled, but they chose to follow them. It was their decision to toss me aside!" I didn't realize the tears that started to fall down my face. "I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to them, and they </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> turned around and acted as if they could care less!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone was looking at me with wide eyes. I ignored them because I started to feel like something was crushing me. Like I was back in the cabin with no one to care about me, no one to cling on to. My breathing sped up, and I felt like I was paralyzed. No, no, no. I don't want to be back here. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I tried calling out for Apollo or Dad, but it seemed like I couldn't talk. Can anyone hear me? Apollo? Dad? Hestia? Someone, please?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>My breathing started to pick up. This is it. This is how I'll die. Alone. Leaving Estelle to the cruel world. The gods won't be able to help her now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Abruptly, I felt hands on my face. I tried to fight it off, but they moved and grabbed my arms. It took me a second to register that there was a voice trying to talk to me. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"-ercy. Percy! You need to calm down!" The voice said with expert ease mixed with a bit of panic. It sounded familiar, so I leaned toward it. Maybe they'll help me?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy, you need to focus on your breathing, okay? In." The voice inhaled, "Out." They exhaled. They repeated, and I tried my best to follow the directions. Finally, the place I thought I was in began to dissolve, and the real world came into focus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first thing I noticed was Apollo, who gave me a soft smile when he realized I was back here. He was right in front of me, and he was the one holding my hands. The next thing I noticed was Dad, who was right next to Apollo, and Dionysus, who was on Apollo's other side. Dionysus looked like he was preparing to calm me down forcefully with his powers. The last thing I noticed was the rest of the gods' reactions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone on the council was a) sitting on the edge of their throne or b) glaring daggers at the god who kept protesting the punishment. There were mixed reactions for a lot of the rest. Some had pity in their eyes, while others held concern. There were a few, though, that held contentment. I knew that they thought I deserved it, both the betrayal and the panic attack, and as much as that hurt, I ignored it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Heya, Perce. How are you feeling?" Apollo asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I looked at him for a moment before putting my head on his shoulder. "Like shit."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy, why don't you take a break. Apollo, go with him. Be back at 4." I wanted to say I was fine, but I felt too drained, so I just nodded and got up with Apollo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we left, I began walking toward the place Estelle was at.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Percy," Apollo said with an exasperated voice, "You don't have to look after her 24/7."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Rule 7," I called out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You know that's only a rule, so you won't go to parties to get drunk and just dump her on us, right?" Apollo stopped walking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Doesn't matter. I'm all that Estelle has left. And I made a promise to look after her." I turned around and looked him in the eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apollo took a few steps closer to me. "Perce, you're emotionally drained. Take a break."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I thought about it for a second before stepping closer to him. We were so close that our faces were almost touching. I smirked, "Make me." I took off running. He was rooted to his spot for a second, so I decided to call out to him. "Come get me!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I heard him start running, so I picked up the pace. I dodged all the obstacles- another part of my training, but with Artemis. I heard Apollo crash into some of the said obstacles, which gave me an advantage. I turned around and jogged backward as Apollo was getting up from his latest fall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"C'mon you, slowpoke!" I turned back around as Apollo began running again. When I turned around, I noticed that I only had a few seconds to prepare to jump over a log as I ran into the forest. I quickly put my hand on the obstacle and swung my body over it. My feet landed on the floor, and I had to crouch to absorb the impact. I continued running along the path and found out it led to a restricted section. With a curse, I looked behind me and saw Apollo beginning to close in. I darted to the left and avoided what I could (the rest was a bunch of stray branches that broke quite effortlessly).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I heard Apollo fall again- he probably tripped over that tree root that I barely missed. I used the added time to make a turn to circle back the path from earlier and get back to the street. I was so lost in the thrill of a chase where death wasn't a possibility that I didn't see the shortcut I just gave Apollo. It didn't take long for him to be right behind me. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," I gasped out as he tackled me. He laughed and rolled off of me. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Maybe you should pay attention to the paths you take next time."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey!" He scowled before bumping into my shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We walked to the place with Estelle in comfortable silence for a few minutes. When we got to the little hut where the kids were (like a daycare type thing), I looked at my watch to see how much time we had. Turns out, 15 minutes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we got inside, Apollo talked to the wood nymph in charge while I checked on Estelle. We stayed for 10 minutes before Apollo told me the time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We gotta go if we wanna make it on time."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I nodded and said bye to Estelle before going to the door. We began walking toward the throne room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're amazing with her," he said, breaking the silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Eh, babies are easy." He turned to look at me.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If anything I've seen with my exes is accurate, raising a kid-mortal or not- is not an easy feat."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I rolled my eyes. This was not a conversation I want to have right now. "The single guardian thing, or raising a child in general."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Both."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I think I've got it under control."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That you do, Perce."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I was glad he dropped the subject after that. We talked about little things in-between moments of silence, and eventually, we got to the throne room. I opened the door with a millisecond of hesitation, and if Apollo saw something, he did say anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the meeting passed with little events, which was surprising considering we were on the major topics. Thankfully, the dinner feast came soon enough, and we ate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By 8:00, everyone had left, and I was getting back in the car with Estelle. I drove silently with soft Christmas music playing from the radio. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn't take too long before Christmas was here, and the gods wanted to throw a party. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Who would even come? My only position in school is 'new kid.'"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You mean to tell us that you haven't made any friends?" Hermes asked with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I scowled. "I might have 3, but I don't want to."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What's wrong with friends?" Dionysus asked while taking a sip of his diet coke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I glared at him. "I don't know, maybe it's the cause for my recently developed trust issues." Dionysus scowled but stayed silent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No matter," Athena started, "We can throw a party with just us."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And now here we are, in the living room exchanging gifts under the pretense of a Christmas party. So far, I have gotten custom armor that turns into a pendant, some weapons, a couple of pieces of clothing (from Aphrodite, she said they would look good on me, and I had to agree). I also got a few "much-needed musicians items" from Apollo. Estelle got baby toys, some clothing, and other baby stuff that Hera said she would need in the coming months.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So Percy," Amphitrite, my amazing step-mother, began, "how are you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I gave a small and kinda shy smile, "Uh, as good as one can be in my position, I guess."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And any friends?" She asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't want friends, but there are these 3 people with whom I am good mutuals with." Everyone was interested, so I leaned back and continued, "Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, and Wade Wilson are their names."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tell us about them," Dad said, so I began to spew off the few stories I already had.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If I got something wrong, please feel free to tell me. Hope you enjoyed it though, and that you didn't mind the songs</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are much appreciated.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>